Polarizing means for electrical connectors

Abstract

A pair of mateable units with polarizing means for controlling mateability of the units comprising a member rotatably mounted on each of the units one of the members having an extension of predetermined shape and the other member having a recess of predetermined complementary shape for receiving the extension on the one member. The members each have a slot in one end for receiving a screw driver to rotate the members to adjusted position without removing, resetting and reassembling small components.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A pair of mated electrical connectors comprising: a housing associated with each connector, each housing having a mating face and an external face;   an oriented polarizing element extending from the mating surface of one housing and engaging in a mated relationship a polarizing element extending from the mating surface of the other housing, each polarizing member having an orientation with respect to each housing;   means for changing the orientation of the polarizing elements on the mated electrical connectors to various predetermined positions while the connectors and polarizing elements remain mated, said changing means comprising: a member carried on at least one of the polarizing elements which extends through the external surface of the housing carrying the polarizing element, and which carries means for reorienting the mated polarizing elements by rotation thereof between said various predetermined positions, whereby the orientation of the polarizing elements on the mated electrical connectors may be changed with respect to each housing without unmating the pair of connectors.     
     
     
       2. An electrical connector comprising: a housing having a front face and an axial passage extending therethrough;   electrical contacts mounted to the housing and facing in the same direction as the front face of the housing;   an oriented polarizing member having a rear portion and a forward polarizing portion facing in the same direction as the front face of the housing; and   means for mounting the polarizing member within said housing passage for axial movement between a first axial position and a second axial position and for rotational movement when said member is in said second axial position, said mounting means comprising: means for biasing the polarizing member with a first axial force in a first axial direction and for positioning said polarizing member in the first axial position;   means for preventing rotational movement of the polarizing member while the polarizing member is in said first axial position, said preventing means allowing rotational movement of the polarizing member when the polarizing member is in said second axial position; and   means carried on said rear portion of the polarizing member for receiving a second axial force, directed oppositely of the first axial force, to move the polarizing member axially forward from said first axial position to said second axial position, and for receiving a rotational force to rotate and thereby reorient said member when said member is in said second axial position; whereby when said second axial force is applied to the polarizing member, the polarizing member moves axially forward from the first position to the second position, whereby when a rotational force is applied to said polarizing member, said member may be rotated and thereby reoriented while said polarizing member remains mounted to the housing and whereby when said second axial force is removed, said biasing means returns said polarizing member rearward to said first axial position where further rotation of the polarizing member is prevented.     
     
     
       3. An electrical connector of the type described in claim 2 wherein the means preventing rotational movement comprise serrations carried on one of the polarizing member and housing and a complementary surface on the other of the polarizing member and housing. 
     
     
       4. An electrical connector of the type described in claim 3 wherein the biasing means comprises a spring engaging a portion of the polarizing member for urging the serrations into the complementary surface in the first axial position. 
     
     
       5. An electrical connector of the type described in claim 2 wherein the biasing means comprises a wave washer exerting the first axial force on the polarizing member for positioning the member in the first axial position when the second axial force is not present. 
     
     
       6. An electrical connector of the type described in claim 5 wherein the means for receiving a rotational force comprises a slot. 
     
     
       7. A mateable electrical connector comprising: a housing having a front face, a rear face and an axial passage extending through the housing with openings in the front and rear faces, said passage including a forwardly facing shoulder and a rearwardly facing shoulder;   electrical contacts mounted to the housing and facing in the direction of the front face of the housing;   a polarizing member having a forward polarizing portion, a rear portion and an enlarged middle portion having a forwardly facing shoulder and a rearwardly facing shoulder; and   means for mounting the polarizing member in said housing passage for axial movement between a first axial position and a second axial position and for rotational movement when said member is in said second axial position, said polarizing member disposed in said passage with its forward polarizing portion extending from the front face of the housing and its rear portion adapted to receive an axial force, said means comprising: means for biasing the polarizing member in a first axial direction in the housing passage to locate said polarizing member in the first axial position, said biasing means engaging one of said passage shoulders and one of said shoulders of the enlarged portion of said polarizing member to urge the other shoulder of the enlarged portion against the other of said passage shoulders, thereby captivating the enlarged portion of the polarizing member within said housing passage;   means carried on said other shoulder of said enlarged portion of said member and said other passage shoulder for preventing the polarizing member from rotational movement while the polarizing element is in the first position; and   means carried on the rear portion of said polarizing member for receiving a rotational force to rotate the polarizing member and thereby obtain a reorientation thereof when the polarizing member is in the second position; whereby an axial force applied to the rear portion of the polarizing member moves the polarizing member axially against the urging of the biasing means from the first axial position where rotational movement of the member is prevented to the second axial position where the polarizing member may be reoriented by a rotational force on the rear portion of the polarizing member to obtain a reorientation of the polarizing member while the member remains connected to the housing, and whereby the biasing means returns the polarizing member to the first axial position where rotational movement of the polarizing member is prevented when the axial force is not applied to the rear portion of the polarizing member.       
     
     
       8. An electrical connector as described in claim 7 wherein the biasing means comprises a spring and the means preventing rotational movement of the polarizing member comprises a set of serrations on the other shoulder of the enlarged portion and a complementary surface on the other of said passage shoulders, with the spring biasing the set of serrations into contact with the complementary surface to prevent rotational movement of the polarizing member.